What were the strengths of the course? The well-written and comprehensive notes. The responsiveness of the tutor, Kerry Farmer. The ability to study in one's own time. The great value for money. The ability to take part in online discussions with people with shared interests from other states and countries.

What were the weaknesses? The difficulties encountered in downloading .pdf files of course material. These could be emailed as zipped files sto course participants. Unclear directions on connecting to the online discussions although this was rectified before the second week of the course. The online discussions would be enhanced with a little more structure ie focus questions or talking points that could be distributed to course participants prior to discussions.

I can't say that I learnt a lot from the course but the few new resources I learnt about led to some great finds. The course was an exercise in positive reinforcement for me as I realised that I do have some knowledge in the subject. Additionally, because the course materials were set out in a logical sequence, the course gave me a scaffold or structure for organising my knowledge.

Being able to join in any NIGS online discussions that took place during the period of the course was an added bonus.

The course is being continually updated. It is currently jam-packed with information that may daunt beginning genealogists, however I believe that Kerry Farmer and NIGS are reviewing the course content. I note that the course is now rated as "Intermediate" on the NIGS site.

Anyone with an interest in Genealogy in Australia and New Zealand would benefit from this course.